


A Whole New World

by VelociraptorsDontLie



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Domestic Violence, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Graphic Description, Multi, Profanity, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:07:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VelociraptorsDontLie/pseuds/VelociraptorsDontLie
Summary: “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”― Sun Tzu, The Art of War~O~She fell...more than once. Its hard to stand up to things that once scared you, but you'll find that if you do it once, What's stopping you from doing it again?This story stars a person who continues to be scared in a world entirely different from her own. The only thing that helped her was the people she was surrounded by.





	1. Chapter One - The Fall

**Author's Note:**

> A Dragon age story because I have been playing it too much that I actually said 'Makers breath' in place of Jesus Christ. updates will be random.

Sighing heavily, Megaera walked through the front door of her shared flat, hoping her best friend and roommate was home to hang out with. 

It had been a rather long day, after a rather long week and then a rather long month. Megaera was just plain tired all of the work she had piled up on her shoulders, sitting at her desk trying to work and ignore all the stares simultaneously was beginning to drive her up the wall. If only people had better lives that they wouldn't feel the need to try and gossip about other people, and it was all because of her boyfriend - now turned Ex.

''Is that you, Meg!?'' 

''Who else would it be, you dozy cow.'' Meg huffed out a laugh, smiling as she shook her coat off her shoulders and hung it up on the hook beside the front door. ''Were you expecting anyone else other than me?'' She added her question, taking off the snow-covered hat and dropping it into the basket to her right, shaking her brown hair free and patting down any strands that had gone static. 

''Well, no not really but you never know! I'm all alone in here, could get murdered!'' Her best friend entered the room from the bathroom, blonde hair barely reaching her shoulders. '' I can see it in the papers now, Tristan Nicholson murdered in own home!'' She reached up with her arm, resting the back of wrist against he forehead, mocking a swooning gesture. 

''With Matthew on the door downstairs? I don't bloody well think so.'' Matthew was the buildings Security guard, trusted with making sure that anyone coming into the building, wasn't going to cause trouble. He was very good at his job. ''I think Matthew would rather die before he lets anyone lay a hand on you.'' Meg shot Tristan a smirk, teasing the idea of Matthew coming to her rescue. 

Tristan blushed, making sputtering noises and picking up a cushion to throw in Meg's direction. ''Shut up, I don't want to talk about my slow love life.'' 

''It's only slow because you won't talk to him.'' laughing, Meg and Tristan moved to the living room, sitting on the sofa, where the cushion was also returned to its rightful place. ''but okay, My love life is more exciting now that I'm newly a single pringle.'' 

''Are you fucking kidding me!'' Tristan screamed in surprise, bouncing in her spot. ''Why didn't you lead with that! Did you seriously get rid of that awful man!? how!? When!?''

''Like three hours ago. I tried to end it as gently as I could, Didn't want to give him a reason...you know?'' Meg's voice grew quiet, the atmosphere in the room. Tristan knew why, which is why she grew silent for a few moments as well, remembering the pain he had brought her best friend. 

''Right!'' Tristan suddenly exclaimed, jumping from the sofa. ''This calls for wine and a perfect view, Get your jumper, Meg.'' Tristan vanished into the kitchen and Meg went in the opposite direction to her bedroom. Heels clicked along the wooden flooring until they silenced on the fake sheepskin rug, pulling open the doors to the wardrobed, Meg reached in and pulled out the thick woolly jumper used only for sitting on the balcony to her flat. 

She met Tristan by the balcony door, taking the glass of wine she offered while she held hers to her lips. ''Why didn't you take off your heels?'' 

''Can't be arsed.'' Meg replied as they ventured out onto the Balcony, tipping the chairs free of fallen snow and sitting in them. The view from this height was lovely, London certainly was beautiful when it wanted to be.

Tristan laughed. ''That's why you don't get Heels with a million straps that all have buckles.''

''They have butterflies on the tip. '' Meg replied as if it were the reason she hadn't taken them off. They only had three straps, each with its own buckle, but yes, at the tip just here you slip your feet into them, they had a small butterfly resting on the top. 

''Yes, you always had a fondness for animals, didn't you?'' Tristan smiled warmly, resting her head in her hand while her elbow leaned on the arm of the chair. ''In fact, I remember you almost cried after nearly skimming a rabbit with an arrow during a lesson.'' It was about an hour of them sitting out on the Balcony, Talking and laughing as though nothing could go wrong. Until a knock sounded at the door. Tristan narrowed her eyes in its direction, ''You're not expecting anyone, are you?'' 

Meg shook her head, watching as Tristan stood to answer the door. It was strange, usually, Matthew wouldn't let anyone he didn't know into the building without an important reason and no one would have an important reason to have to knock on her door so late in the afternoon. It was a tense suspension waiting as Tristan opened the door only to see her violently pushed to the side with a scream of surprise on her part. 

She had collided with the wall and slid down it, seeing the violent intruder and feeling the beat of her heart stop. He was tall, lean and had black hair, the sides of it shaved and the lengthy parts shoved back into a stupid looking tiny bun on the top of his head. Now she wondering what she had ever seen in him. ''Arthur!'' 

Arthur Maverick's face had turned from annoyed to soft in the span of a second the moment he saw her. ''Meg, love. Please. I-i'm sorry, I didn't mean to- she wouldn't let me in, I-'' He started to step forward, towards the Balcony doorway that Meg was standing in. 

Meg stepped back, Only once though. The flat she was in may have been expensive but there was that one rickety railing that was just waiting to fall and take someone with it. She knew she needed to move from her spot, but she didn't know how far she would get. ''Stay away from me.''

''Meg, Come on.'' Arthur continued to move towards her, Jutting to the left when she tried to run in the direction of her room where she kept a familiar weapon. ''You need me, No one gets you like I do.'' She knew these tricks. Tricks to trap her once again in a relationship she had no desire to be in. ''I need you too, I don't feel right when you're not with me.''

''Kiss my arse, Maverick.'' Meg hissed, anger taking its control when she realised she was trapped. It would go one of two ways, She would leave with him quietly...or leave permanently. ''You never cared about me. You made me think you did, Made me care about you, you reeled me in and trapped me and Now I'm out. I'm out and I'm staying out'' 

Backing up again, she didn't want to little space between her and Arthur, though she was quickly running out of room. There were ten floors to this building, Meg and Tristan lived on the seventh, a fall from this height would most likely kill her, concrete was just a bitch like that. Arthur changed his tactic from calm to hysteric ''Listen to me!'' His hands shot out as he moved towards her, grabbing at her uppers arms with a desperate grip. ''I can't be without you! I-I'm nothing when you're not with me! I'll die! I-I-I'll kill myself! I will. That's exactly what you mean to me.''

Meg didn't believe a word, It was good acting she had to admit but not good enough. He wasn't expressing the emotions in his eyes, any good actor would have a gaze to match the words falling from their mouth but all Arthur's eyes held was malice.

''I made my choice. I don't love you and I'm not staying with you.''

The pleading look on his face vanished and was replaced with anger, his eyebrows furrowed and the bridge of his nose creased. ''I won't have you leaving me! Not like this! I'm the best thing for you!''

''Get off me!''

''You heard what she said, asshole!'' Tristan's voice appeared as the woman herself was out of view, trying to pull Arthur away from her best friend. Being taller and stronger than both girls, Arthur barely budged, his grip on Meg's arms growing tighter and he forced her further backwards. She could feel the metal of the railing digging into her back, any more force applied and it would break.

''I don't need you! Go live your sad little life away from me!'' Meg's hands continued to push against Arthur's chest, trying to keep him from drawing closer than he was. She knew she was making him angry, but she'd rather not be stuck in a neverending cycle of pain. 

''You listen to me, you little stain.'' Arthur hissed in her face, Hysteric turning to pure rage. ''You're going to come home with me and love me like the precious thing you think you are or I'll make your life a living hell!'' 

Calmly, Meg looked up into the angry expression on his face, ''As if you weren't doing that already. What could you possibly do to make me hate my life more?'' 

He took it as a challenge, narrowing his eyes further. It was as though he hadn't thought of the fact that maybe Meg would have enough one day, that she'd think of herself more than just a doting girlfriend. ''You will love me.'' He spoke gently, though she could still tell he was angry by the undertone of his voice. ''Or you will love no one, ever again.'' He reached up with his left hand, gently stroking the side of her face before reaching back and pulling Tristan by her wrist. 

''Love me.'' Arthur demanded, his hand quickly switching from Tristan's wrist to her throat. The blonde woman who had been her best friend since she was eleven, being adopted into the family who lived across from hers, best friends through everything and Meg watched her shake her head, telling her to refuse Arthur once again. He spoke the words again, moving his right hand from her arm to her throat and Meg felt him squeeze tightly. ''Beautiful Tris first, then you.'' He informed before demanding in a lower tone. ''Love me.''

She used all her strength to croak out the word ''Never.'' Sending Arthur over the edge with a rage he'd always felt without end. Huffing so hard Meg almost expected steam to exit through his nostrils, then he smiled, still holding both Meg's and Tristan's throats and pushing them violently.

The railing didn't hold. Neither woman knew it would, but a quick glance to each other and it was as though she'd momentarily read each other's minds. 

If they were going...

he was going too. 

Tristan and Meg thrust out their hands quickly, grabbing onto any part of Arthur they could and holding fast to it. He didn't expect it, his feet weren't braced and so it was easy for him to go over the edge just as it was easy for him to push the two women. 

Meg closed her eyes, waiting for the quick second of pain but it never came. From behind the darkness of her eyelids, there was a flash of green before she landed....alive. The ground was different, still cold but it wasn't hard and covered in grit like most London roads and pavements. It was snowy and undisturbed, but what was more confusing is that she was completely alone...

Her fucking toes were frozen too.


	2. Chapter Two - The Rise.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The past beats inside me like a second heart.”  
> ― John Banville, The Sea
> 
> The one where Megaera is confused.

Frozen toes were the worst, she had always hated her feet being cold but the moment she had turned twenty, they had stopped being cold all the time. She didn't know why but she was glad and wasn't going to question. Now, being nearly submerged in the snow, they were starting to freeze and she was also starting to wish she had taken them off in favour for her fluffy boots. She'd gotten up from where she had landed, seeing little but a giant green hole in the sky, vast amounts of snow and the wine glass she had been drinking from on the Balcony. 

Meg knew she couldn't stay there forever, she had to move at some point but it was a little difficult to walk on snow in shoes meant for a nice finished wood flooring, but again, she couldn't very well sit tight in the white substance in the hope someone would find her. The large jumper did some to keep her warm but not much as she had a black tank top and thin black skinny jeans on, It didn't do much in the way of keeping her legs warm. 

After walking for a time, Meg could make out what looked like some kind of church. A little closer to where she was and a little....closer to the ground level, was what looked like a person. She walked to the edge of the snowy path she was walking on, trying to get a better view as to what this person was doing. 

A closer look is what she gets when she strays too close to the edge and her heels slip on some ice covered leaves poking through the snow. Gasping out in fright, Meg could do nothing other than grasp blindly for anything to stop her from sliding down the mountain pass she was just on. She felt her feet hit something hard, someone cried out and then fell on her, all of which halted her downward slide in the snow without a sledge. Meg had to move from her position on her side to lay on her back, to even look at the person she had crashed into. 

He was surprised, quite obviously, a strange girl just crashed into him from above but he was still...calm. She was under him, caged between two arms so he had the upper hand. ''Are...you okay?'' The stranger's voice was deep, smooth and had the undertone of confusion, his brown hair slightly face in front of his face, not that there was much to fall. 

''I- Can you help me? I don't know where I am.'' She noted the sword on his back, eyeing it carefully but he didn't seem like the type to blindly attack a small woman in need of help. 

''How could you not know where you are? How did you get here?'' He asked, getting to his feet and holding out a helping hand. ''What are you wearing?'' Meg silently reached for his hand, taking the help where she could get it. 

''I don't really know that either.'' The stranger pulled her to her feet, looking down at the heeled shoes with a grimace, no doubt wondering how she was walking in them. ''I was...falling. There was a flash of green and then I was here.'' 

''Green?'' 

''I'm pretty sure.'' Meg nodded, lifting a hand to push stray strands of hair away. She knew she had to redo her hair, most of it had fallen from the bun, showing off how long it was.... perhaps she should cut it too. 

''You should probably come with me. I'm Askan, by the way.'' 

''Megaera, but everyone just calls me, Meg.'' Askan smiled and lead the way, Meg following next to him but he sometimes had to stop her from falling due to the snow. As soon as it came into sight, Meg's mouth dropped. It looked like a little village, its walls were nothing more than large logs standing in the ground and had been pointed at the top. There wasn't much around save for the trees, snow and the small group of swordsmen outside the safety of the walls. 

''This is Haven, Where we're all working to help close the breach.'' Askan spoke as they walked up the dirt path, finally free of the snow. 

Meg reached up as they approached the gates of 'Haven', finally having enough of her messy brown hair. ''The breach?'' She wondered in response, trying to pull the hair tie from her bun, wincing a little as she pulled a little too hard. 

''That big green hole in the sky.'' Meg remembered seeing it, thinking it was strange and a little scary for it to just...be there. She was a little scared still, she had no idea where she was, no idea who this man was other than his name, it was a whole new experiance and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be here or back on the balcony. It was all she could think about as they walked up beside the group of Swordsmen, seeing them practising on straw dummies and with each other. 

Meg thought they were doing pretty well, she certainly never faired any better in her fencing lessons.....she only had four before she had asked to switch to what she wanted to do. ''Commander.'' Askan had suddenly greeted as he walked on. Meg almost didn't notice him, head pointed down, looking at the ground as she finally got that hair tie free and all that hair came falling over her shoulders. ''Herald.'' She only looked up at the sound as she was quite close to it. 

She stopped walking at the sight of him, blown away by how much she liked this particular face. Blonde hair, sharp features and a jawline capable of murder. He held himself high, an aura of power and authority radiating from him more than Askan's own aura did, and as she finally looked up to meet his eyes, she found a pair of Amber ones staring right back. She opened her mouth to say something, anything that wasn't a stupid remark or jumble of consonants but instead was greeted with nothing. Not a sound was able to come from her to form an eligible sentence. Meg closed her mouth, grinding her molars and swallowing thickly, He himself cleared his throat offering a soft. ''Hello?'' 

''Megaera!'' Meg jumped as Askan had practically shouted in her ear. ''Like the look of my Commander, do you?'' He grinned teasingly. Meg turned her head to the side, avoiding both sets of eyes, there was no way she was going to admit any such statement. ''Commander Cullen, This is Megeara, she crashed into me from above.''

''Ravenswood,'' Meg added, lifting her arms, gathering the top half or her hair and tying it into a bun, leaving the underside of her hair down. ''Megeara Ravenswood, My friends call me Meg.'' She gave a gentle smile in greeting, to express that yes indeed, She was glad to meet this one and look upon that face. 

Cullen cleared his throat nervously. ''Yes, Uh, a pleasure.'' She was strange and it wasn't just her clothes. At first glance she would easily look like someone you wouldn't want to mess with, Brown hair framed a beautifully sculpted face, There was a metal ring with three coloured gems in her left nostril, a black ring with what looked like a bee in the middle was hanging from the middle skin between each nostril and a black metal ball sitting in the middle of her bottom lip, along with the two pierced ears, earrings adorning the lobe with that same black bee.  
He could also see, in certain words she spoke, a metal ball on her tongue. She was certainly a strange character but she seemed kind, and the name she gave him sounded familiar. 

''Join us in the War room as soon as possible please, Commander.'' Askan interjected, no longer wishing to stand there and watch the two stare at each other. ''Have someone fetch Josephine and Leliana on the way as well as some new clothes for Meg, Please.'' 

Cullen cleared his throat again before he spoke. ''Of course, Herald.'' Askan lifted his arm around Meg's back, ushering her away from Cullen. She went without a fuss and gave the man and smile and a wave as she left, following Askan through Haven where she saw what looked like an Elf and a Dwarf! She'd seen enough lord of the rings to see the similarities. 

Askan led Meg into a large church building, up the middle and into a room where the only furnishing was a large table in the middle, a map draw upon it. ''We'll wait here for the avisors to get here.''

''Are you like the leader here or something then?'' 

Askan chuckled. ''Somewhat. They call me the herald of Andraste. After I came out of the fade alive with this...thing in my hand.'' Askan looked down at his left hand. 

''The fade?'' 

The doors opened right then and two women walked in, as well as the lovely face of the Commander and he was carrying clothes, what more could a woman want? ''You should talk with Solas about the fade if you want to know more. But, This is Josephine and Leliana. You already know Cullen.'' Meg looked over the two women, The one called Josephine was dark skinned, had black hair and an elegant looking face as Cullen walked over with the clothes, placing them in her arms once she lifted them to receive items. 

Leliana looked more like someone who's living was made by doing secret assassin work. Under the hood over her head was what looked like short red hair, her skin was pale and she looked to be assessing Meg for all her worth. 

''Josie, Leliana, Cullen, this is Megaera Ravenswood...She came out of the breach.'' 

''What!?'' 

''Makers breath, another one!?''

''Why that's...That's, I have no words. Are you sure?'' 

''I'm pretty sure, I did wake up somewhere near it before taking a tumble down the mountain.'' Meg chuckled, putting the clothes on the war table to lift her hands to her jumper and go to lift it. 

''woah woah woah!'' Askan was quick to stop her from undressing.

''What?!''

''You can't change here! In front of us!''

''Turn around then. It's cold, dude! I'm changing into the warm clothes the Commander oh s nicely brought me.'' And off went the jumper to reveal a brown shirt underneath, The two men hadn't turned around just yet, seeing the drawings that adorned her upper arms, on the right, it went all the around and on the left was the cycle of the moon. Askan and Cullen then turned around as meg decided to take more off. ''Would you explain everything?'' Leliana said to Meg, her voice was quiet, mysterious and wispy but Meg quite liked it. ''From what you were doing up until you found yourself on the mountain.''

''Well its not much. But I'll tell you what I remember.'' Meg replied to Leliana as she changed into the warm clothes. Meg went on to explain everything she could, falling, the green flash. She knew it wasn't much but it was all she could tell them, she herself didn't even know how she got here. Meg told them of London, of her home and what had happened before she fell, but it still wasn't enough to determine how she ended up in...Thedas, as she had come to know. 

''I'm sorry,'' Meg said after seeing the looks on their faces, they were no closer to understanding the breach, but Meg had gotten some insight into this world. ''I'm just another person to worry about, I don't mean to be. '' 

''Nonsense.'' Askan responded cheerily, approaching and throwing an arm around her shoulders. ''You can help us out if you'd like? We're the only two to walk out of the fade alive and who better to fight with than someone with life experiences?''

Meg squinted her eyes up at Askan. ''Fight? Oh no no. First off, you've just met me and you're suddenly going to trust me to watch your back fighting god knows what? And second, I've never killed anything!'' 

''To be fair, most of what we kill is already dead.'' 

''I don't care, I just want to go home!'' 

Askan removed his arm, shrugging his shoulders. ''Don't know how you're going to do that. Besides, from what you've told us, It doesn't seem like much of a home.''

''That's not the point! The point is that I don't belong here!''

''You were brought here for a reason, though. If a rift opened in a whole different universe just to pull you through and into our laps.'' Askan was convincing her, she could feel it. The compelling want to explore everything new thing was breaking through after so long of repressing it. ''Just stay for a while, get to know everyone. You could help us.'' 

Askan walked around the war table towards the large doors of the room, opening them and allowing Leliana and Josephine to walk through first, though Josephine did stop to get in a few more words. ''He may have a point, Megaera. You may not belong but you might be here for a reason. Perhaps...you can go home when it's completed?'' 

''If you still want to go.'' Was Cullen's little addition before he too walked off to continue whatever it was he was doing beforehand. Josephine left with him and Askan was still standing, waiting for her to make a choice. Meg avoided his eyes as she thought over her choices, she had little knowledge of this land, no money and no way to get proper clothes or food, if she was going to stay, she would have to help. 

And a explore a whole new world. 

Which no one had ever done without a book and imagination....

''I will stay for a little bit...Just to see what its like!'' 

Askan wouldn't stop being so smug for the rest of the day. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does one put a picture in the Chapter? This is my first time posting on this site.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it."
> 
> ― Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Story Girl
> 
> The one where Megaera picks it back up.

Megaera was interested in what Solas had to say about the Breach and the fade, After Askan introduced them and Solas's shock of another person falling out of the breach had calmed, The elf was all too happy to tell Meg all he could say. Askan on the other hand, was a little bored having to listen to everything once more. 

Askan then took her to meet Sera, Blackwall, Cassandra and Varric, whom she had seemed to like the most out of them all. Varric didn't seem all too focused on the fact that she dropped in from the breach, making light of the situation with a few jokes which Meg appreciated. 

She was glad to be able to forget for a while that she didn't really belong in this world, even if she felt just that little bit better knowing she wouldn't have to back to a job she hated. Askan even had to leave Meg with Varric, glancing back just a little worriedly only to find her now seated on the floor, listening intently to one of Varric's many tales. 

''I have no idea what a Qunari is but I don't think I want to meet one, Or at least have this Hawke around when I do.'' Meg commented during Varric's tale of the champion, she got the impression that it was his favourite story to tell, by the way he talks about Hawke like she's his best friend. ''Where is she now?'' 

Varric clicked his tongue a few times. ''Can't tell you that. Nightingale's always listening, you know.''

''Did you like her?'' Meg didn't push for Hawke's location, not really needing to know it. '' As more... or was she just your best friend?'' She almost missed it, a certain emotion flashing across Varric's face before it was replaced not a second later with a grin. 

''You know...'' Varric sighed, lifting a hand and awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. ''There were moments where I thought. But no, She'll always just be a friend.'' Meg smiled, not saying anything more on the subject but instead moved to Anders and what had happened to him. 

Honestly, Meg could have sat there all day with Varric, listening to his tales. If it weren't for Askan, returning with news. ''We've set up a tent for you up by the Chantry. It's only small though, but hopefully not permanent.'' 

''Small isn't a problem, as long as I'll be warm.'' Meg chuckled, standing up to follow Askan to where the tent was pitched, giving Varric a farewell wave and smile. Askan hadn't been wrong, the tent was indeed small but inside was all her personal effects and a few blankets to keep herself warm during the night. 

''I'll be heading to the Storm coast tomorrow.'' Askan awkwardly shifted on his feet outside the flaps of her new temporary abode. ''I know you said you didn't want to fight but if you're to stay here, with us, you'll have to pitch in. Whether It's fighting, cooking, cleaning or something else but everyone does something around here; it'd be nice to have many helping hands as we can with this war.'' 

Meg was barely able to reply to Askan, watching as he turned and walked away to leave her to her own devices. She sighed, looking around at the notes on sacks that told her what was inside and who had given them, most seemed to be from Josephine. The ambassador had thought ahead and provided Meg with an array of clothes to choose from depending on what she chose to do to help with the 'Inquisition'.

Meg couldn't really cook well, not to mention she was in a whole different world, scared beyond belief and mostly alone in her situation. Cleaning was a similar affair, She could clean the toilet, the bath and the marble top in the kitchen but without bleach and basic indoor plumbing and electricity to keep things clean; what was a modern girl to do? 

Fighting seemed to be one of the only options that didn't seem like it was going to bore her to death. The current mess she had made from the sacks of clothes and underwear Josephine had provided was telling in how much fighting helped in this world. 

Perhaps she could be useful, she'd only need to learn again.  Meg lifted up a pair of plain brown trousers, staring with an internal debate as to whether or not she was even still physically fit to help Askan in the way he wanted her too. 

Sighing again for whatever the count was now, meg changed into the trousers, a plain shirt and the same winter boots that she was given in the war room and left the tent. The cold pierced every inch of her but as she picked up a light jogging pace, she found it ebbing away as the blood started pumping. 

She ran past Solas, who gave a polite nod. Varric cheered her on as she passed, giving her the necessary motivation to keep going. She was running out of breath quickly, showing how much she had neglected her father's teachings. She ran past the blacksmith, noting the item perched against the wall as she ran up and around the river to come back down and pass the Commander as he trained his troops. 

Eyes glinting amber in the sun, watching as she passed him, noting her good form but also how out of practice she seemed to be. Askan was finishing his talk with Cassandra before he noticed the woman running around Haven, huffing and puffing as she went But never the less, he smiled. 

The entire time she ran, all she could think about was her father, what he taught her and how proud he'd been of her and yet, she'd let all his teachings fall behind. She ran for what felt like hours, until she couldn't run anymore, stopping outside the blacksmith and bracing her hands on her thighs. 

Meg's eyes fixed on it, still in its resting position when she saw on during her run. Oh she had missed it, the feel of watching it soar through the air and reach its target. She had won many a medal before, but she'd hadn't picked one up since leaving school, perhaps....it was time to pick it back up. 

The blacksmith, Harritt was a kind man, if a little gruff, she had a met him on the little tour Askan had given her.  She waited until her heart returned to a normal pace before approaching the object of her affection. 

''Harritt? Could I ...Borrow this possibly?'' She gestured to the things with a curious gaze on her face, hoping perhaps, he would just let her. 

He raised an eyebrow at the request. ''Know how to use it?'' 

''That's just what I want to see if I remember.'' 

''Then have at it, Don't kill anyone.'' Meg chuckled at the words of caution, she knew better than to point something pointy at another person, though her closest non-moving target was the dummies over by the recruits. 

She snatched the Bow from its perch and grabbed a few arrows beside it, eagerly skipping out of the way of the Blacksmith set up but still a certain distance away from the training dummies. 

Meg was nervous, rightly so, she'd not used a bow in years; her red compound bow had sat in her wardrobe collecting dust since her father had died. Unable to bare looking at another bow without remembering the pain of his departure, but despite all that, she raised the bow and nocked an arrow. 

It was surprising just how easily she could fall back into the feeling of serenity when she held it up in her hands, a few calm breaths, slowly exhaling and her fingers seemed to let go of their own accord as if remembering how to do it like she'd never stopped. 

The end result wasn't as good as she hoped, while she had aimed for the chest, the poor straw dummy had been hit more towards the babymaker rather than a lung.  ''Well, a little bit lower and there would have been a considerable amount of pain.''

''I did well for someone who hasn't picked up a bow in years.'' Meg turned to face Askan. ''You said you were going to ....the storm coast, was it? Heading out soon?''

''As soon as Varric is ready. Keep this up and might just be able to come out with us.'' Askan laughed, shoving Meg slightly and playfully before patting her shoulder in goodbye and walking away. 

She turned back to the dummy she had targetted, finding Commander Cullen pulling her arrow out from the straw and looking for the arrows owner. Eyes falling on Meg once again, she jumped in her place and he watched her fumble for a place to run before settling on hiding herself behind a tree. 

He almost wanted to laugh, how such a woman could act one way and then another before a second had passed. He was looking forward to seeing how she would adjust to the war she'd be thrown into too. 

From his place with the troops, he had the best view of her growth. The running, the practising and she'd even taken to joining his troops, helping them in their hand to hand combat. True as the sky was blue, Meg spent the next three weeks building muscle and practising her bow skills. 

It wasn't gonna take long for her to remember most of what she was taught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm. Okayish chapter. Trying to get back into the swing of things. not had much time to write lately. Still have no idea how to put pictures onto the chapter.


	4. Chapter Four - The result

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The human heart is a theatre of longing.”   
> ― John O'Donohue, Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong
> 
> The one where Megaera finds out.

The steel clashed, two swords locked in a battle of strength and wit. ''You are doing well. '' Cassandra smirked at Meg, who was holding the second sword in this spar. Since Askan had left Three weeks ago to the day, Meg had been helped in her training by Sera, Cassandra and even Cullen. 

All of them seem happy to help but the only one she really looked forward to, day in and day out, was learning from the handsome Commander. Sera wasn't needed much after the second week, Meg's bow skills had returned to where they had been when she was sixteen. Cullen helped her build strength and Cassandra helped with sword skills in case she would ever need them. 

''Yeah?'' Meg smiled happily, straightening her back as she felt the gloved hands of the Commander correct her stance as he passed. More often than not, Cassandra taught Megaera by the inquisitions other forces, which meant she was always in the eye-line of Commander Cullen Rutherford. 

She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

''You've improved, I will not lie.'' Cassandra elaborated, pulling her sword away and just as Meg prepared for another block, Cassandra changed tactics; swiping Meg's feet out from under her. ''But you still have much to learn.'' 

Cassandra stared down at Meg with a triumphant grin, as she always did since Meg hadn't yet won a spar with her. Meg huffed in annoyance, Lifting her legs and curling them around Cassandra's, forcing the limbs to bow in submission; The warrior cried out in surprise as she fell, landing directly onto Meg with an audible 'oomph'. 

Cassandra pushed up on her hands, looking down at Meg with a confused look. ''Where did you learn to do that?'' 

Meg's shoulders slid in the snow as she shrugged them. ''I've always known. Unarmed combat was something my father had me learn...for everyday use.'' 

''I thought...London was a safe place?'' 

Cassandra got up off the ground and held down an open hand to help Meg to her feet. Meg kissed her teeth ''Mostly. You know, little things here and there. Don't walk in a dark alley at night, don't walk home alone drunk. Things like that.''

Cassandra raised an eyebrow but said nothing else, picking up both swords and placing them on the rack nearby. Returning to her place in front of Meg, she took a stance and raised her fists. ''Show me.'' 

Meg was barely ready for the first attack, Cassandra's arm came flying at her, fist at the ready. Gasping in surprise, Meg grasping the wrist in her right hand, pulling the arm towards her and turning, tucking it under her left elbow while bringing her forearm up. 

Cassandra cried out, the back of Meg's hand slamming against her nose with speed, sending the warrior recoiling at the aftershock of pain that ran up the front of her face. Though the show of a small smile indicated that Cassandra wasn't backing out, so Meg continued. 

She twisted on her left foot, right leg swinging up to collide with Cassandra's lower ribs. Meg then pulled the leg back without lowering it, thrusting it back out and into Cassandra's sternum. 

Cassandra stumbled back but stayed on her feet. Meg kissed her teeth again, she didn't want t drag it out too much and the only reason she hadn't been hit was that Cassandra wasn't used to the fighting style. 

The warrior straightened herself up in time to see the leg swinging at her from the right, She ducked under it and straightened, preparing to go in for the first hit on her end but failed to continue watching the leg. 

Meg's leg didn't fall, it instead switched directions and came back towards the side of Cassandra's head. The back of Meg's knee collided with Cassandra's jaw, the knee bending and the leg curling around for a hold. 

Meg moved her leg back down the way it came up, forcing Cassandra to twist in the snow and bend backwards, unable to escape the hold until she slapped her hand several times against Meg's thigh. Meg's hold released and Cassandra fell to the snow, beaten but smiling. 

''Impressive!'' She complimented as a few of the soldiers applauded before getting yelled at by their Commanding officer. ''You must have trained hard to get to where you are now. Did you teach this style in your home?'' 

Meg shook her head, helping Cassandra up from the ground as the warrior had done for her earlier. ''Not at all. My father taught me for a few years whilst my mother was on her last escapade around the world. I started not long after I was adopted, and ended when I was fifteen.''

''Why did you stop?'' 

''I wanted to pursue a dream. He understood and from there I put down the fighting and the bow tournaments.'' 

Cassandra nodded, thinking about the information she had been told. ''I would like to hear more when you have the time to?'' Megaera smiled at Cassandra, finding a friend in a woman who seemed so brash and uninterested. ''For now...try to teach the troops, maker knows they could use the skills!'' 

''I heard that, seeker!'' Cullen called over, barely sparing Cassandra a glance in the one he had thrown to Meg. 

''You were supposed to!'' 

''Take a break, Cullen!'' Meg caught his full attention. ''You've been pushing them since early morning, think it's about time to rest and eat, yes?'' 

Cullen opened his mouth to answer but the voice heard was not the one from his throat. ''Ah! Lucky me that all three of you are together.'' Varric's familiar tone had both women turning to face him. ''Nightingale wants the three of you in the war room when the herald returns. Something to do with you.'' 

Varric didn't wait for a reply, turning and walking back to do whatever it was Varric had to do that day. Meg's head tilted as it did when she was confused, looking to Cassandra as Cullen approached their sides. ''Do either of you know what that's about?'' 

Both looked just as confused as she was sure she looked, but it also made her curious as to whether or not Askan would be back from the Storm Coast. ''Anyway!'' Meg interrupted whatever thoughts were going through her friend's heads, slipping her arm around Cullen's. ''Food, Commander. Food and rest.'' 

Cassandra smiled, hanging back and watching as Meg pulled Cullen away. She had seen how close the two had become since The herald had left three weeks ago, and it seemed that Megaera's favourite person, might just be the Commander she had asked to join her all that time ago. Cassandra had to admit, Megaera seemed more at home in Thedas than she seemed when she was talking about her homeworld. 

Though everyone was a little sceptical about a whole different world, there was no denying that she is different.

~O~

Askan arrived home to Haven late in the day, followed by new companions. Meg was having a nice drink with Varric and a few of Cullen's troops as the sun went down, The two spurred on by the men whose names she didn't know but weren't inclined to disappoint as she tried to out drink Varric. 

Three tankards downed in record time before Varric even touched the third is when Askan and his party made themselves known. ''I like a woman who can hold her drink.'' It was a deep voice. Deeper than Meg had ever heard before and she quite liked it, Laughing joyfully - mostly because of the drink- she turned to face whoever spoke. 

The bubbly laughter stopped, eye widened as she came face to face with a large blue/grey chest, only up only to see a face with horns on the top of his head; her natural reaction was the scream.

So she did. 

Screaming in a sudden fright, Meg's hold on the tankard hardened and she slammed it into the crotch of the large man ...thing. Small foot lifting and stamping down on his toes and while he doubled over from the pain between his legs, she lifted her right, twisting on her left foot. The sole of her booted foot collided with the middle of his face before she could be pulled away by a panicked man more her size. 

''Meg, No wait!'' Askan cried, all exhaustion leaving him at the sight of his small friend attacking a new ally. Meg continued to kick and try to escape Askan's arms while he tried to hold her back from fleeing all the way to Orlais. ''It's fine! He's on our side! It's Iron bull! He's why I went to the Storm Coast!'' 

Varric laughed at the sight, cheeks burning red with unbridled amusement. ''That's the second Qunari I've seen bested by a small woman!'' 

''Qunari?'' Meg's voice was small, all thoughts of fighting and fleeing leaving her mind as she watched the large creature rub his nose, chuckling as he did. ''That's a Qunari!? He's huge!'' 

''In more ways than one.'' Groans and protests sounded from the people behind The Iron Bull, a few of them calling him Boss. ''Iron Bull, Leader of the chargers.''

''I'm so sorry!'' Meg's voice grew in pitch. Askan let her free and she tried not to bow her head in shame. ''I didn't expect you to be .....well that and I was frightened. Again, So sorry!'' 

Iron Bull raised his hands, showing he had no need for an apology. ''I didn't expect a tiny drunk woman to have a kick like that.'' 

''I'm not drunk!'' Meg defended. ''I lost my buzz when a fucking Bull/human hybrid came out of nowhere!'' Iron Bull's laugh - when he was really laughing- was one of those that came straight from the belly; loud and booming yet you could feel the joy radiating from it. Meg huffed, still defending her state of sobriety as she turned to face Askan. 

''Leliana wanted us in the War room when you came back.'' 

Askan sighed. ''I just want to sleep, But okay. Gather them and wait for me there? I have to see Bull and his chargers are settled.'' 

Meg nodded, giving Iron Bull one fleeting glare and a farewell wave to Varric before walking through the gates of Haven to gather the advisors. It was mostly silent in the War room as the five of them waited for Askan to arrive, so silent in fact that Josephine just didn't seem to like it 

''Megaera, I've been meaning to address you on the topic of the supplies you keep refusing.'' Meg refused to make eye contact with Josephine, hoping to hell she'd just let it go, though it did seem like she enjoyed making Cullen a deep shade of red. ''The bleeding supplies.'' 

''You are refusing them?'' Leliana wondered aloud. ''Do you not need them?'' 

Meg sighed, placing her hands on her hips. ''I suppose I couldn't avoid the topic forever, you were bound to call me out on it at some point but why now?''

''Yes.'' Cassandra agreed. ''Why now when there are more pressing matters at hand.'' 

''Certainly, this conversation should be held in private?'' While Cullen was no stranger to the idea of a woman monthly bleed, he'd still prefer not to be in the room when someone's bleed that wasn't any of his sisters was involved. 

''It's only to sate my own curiosity. I send them and you either distribute them among the other ladies or send them back. I only wondered why.'' Meg rounded the war table, all eyes watching and she held her arm out to Josephine, pointing to a specific area on her upper arm. 

''Feel there.''

Josephine did with light scepticism, feeling something under the skin of Meg's arm. ''What is that?'' 

''An Implant. '' Meg said before starting to elaborate. ''It stops me from getting pregnant, as a result, The bleeds either stop, get lighter or become worse. For me, the bleeds stopped. I've got two years left before it needs to be taken out.'' 

''A remarkable invention.'' 

''A the reason why I don't need the supplies...for the two next years anyway.''

Before anything else was said, by blushing Commander or otherwise, Askan finally arrived, closing the doors to the war room behind him as he let out a tired sigh. ''Right, Im here.'' 

''Indeed you are. I've found some interesting news about our otherworldly friend here.'' Leliana got straight to the business she wanted to speak about, no point in beating around the bush. ''Other than her entrance through the breach.'' 

''How much more interesting can I get?''

''Interesting in the sense that you -Megaera Ravenswood- aren't actually otherworldly at all.'' There was a pause in the room, all silent as eyes trailed over to Meg and the confused look she wore on her face. ''What do you know of your family life, Megaera?'' Leliana asked with a straight face, smooth voice cutting through the silence.

''Oookay?'' Meg was certainly confused but sighed anyway ''Well, Let's see, I was put into an orphanage at the age of 6 after being found in an abandoned building, alone and supposedly unafraid. I was adopted about...one and a bit years later to a couple by the names of James and Maria Lancaster, I apparently refused to take their last name and I grew with them, had a life. But I-i'm sorry but I don't quite understand why you need this information?'' 

''I've had my spies look into the Last name Ravenswood since I heard it. The familiarity of it lingering in the back of my mind before I decided to look into why and where I had heard the name before.'' 

''And what exactly did you find?'' 

Josephine interjected, placing her writing board on the war table in front of her and turned to Meg, fishing something out of the ruffles of her golden and purple robes. ''It has come to our attention, that you are a member of the noble house of Ravenswood in Fereldan. We have collected our evidence if you would like to see it.'' 

Meg swallowed thickly, looking down at Josephine's hand and what was resting on it. A locket of intricate design, her hand taking it from Josephine's while the room became silent once more; Meg fiddle with the clasp on the oblong shape before opening it, releasing an image on the inside. 

There was no mistaking it, she'd seen many pictures and videos of herself as a child and the image inside the locket was most certainly her, sitting in front of two other children who looked older. ''You're saying my parents are here? Like, My biological parents? The ones that..sent me away..alone to fend for myself?'' 

''It is to our understanding that the house was threatened, overrun and to protect you, they had the maid send you away.'' Josephine could see the heartbreak behind Meg's eyes, hoping to diffuse it with a logical reasoning. 

''They sent you too far. What is rather intriguing, Is that you are not the first case of sudden presence in Thedas.''

Meg continued to stare down at the locket, unaware of Leliana's claim that she was not the first to fall into a strange land. Askan and the Advisors looking on silently, hoping she wasn't going to break down in either tears or yells- what they got instead was...

''So maybe now this prayer's, the last one of its kind~ Won't you please come get your baby,~ maybe.~~~'' 

They all shared a look, Meg seemed to be staring at the locket so intensely that she'd forgotten she was surrounded by people. She then suddenly shook her head, fingers closing around the locket as she looked up at them all. ''I-I...I need to be alone.'' 

They watched her hastily leave, everyone in the chantry watched as Meg made a fast walk out of the building. One sharp turn right and Meg was headed towards her tent, an hour passed without seeing her, Then two, then three, four, the entire night had passed and even well into the next day and Meg still hadn't come out of her tent to eat. 

Varric had tried, Sera had tried. Hell, Even Cassandra had tried to coerce Megaera from her tent with bribery of food and perhaps a hot bath but nothing had worked and when Askan passed people with a plate of food in one hand and letter in the other, the people were wishing him a hearty 'Good Luck' 

Good luck was right, Askan stopped in front of Meg's tent and opened his mouth, piece of paper in hand. ''Fuck off.'' The words came before he even spoke. 

''Meg, I just-''

''I know what you want.'' She interrupted again. ''I am thoroughly not in the mood, So leave before I shove an arrow up your ass.'' 

Askan's eyes widened, lifting his hands in surrender even though she couldn't really see him and he backed away. He called another meeting in the war room and discussed her with the others, Josephine had already gotten the brunt of Meg's foul mood and promptly refused to put herself in that position again. 

Cullen eventually grew fed up with all the useless plans Askan came up with to get Meg out of her tent in into daylight to eat and drink. Sighing heavily, he walked from the war room, slipping the piece of paper from Askan's hand and walked all the way to Meg's tent where he stood silently debating whether or not to just walk in. 

In the end, he did just walk in, seeing nothing more than a blanket covered lump, one fist uncovered with a chain leading from the inside. She'd heard the rustle of the tent flaps, knew someone had entered and with the information she'd received last night, It was hard to be in the mood for any socialization. 

''Askan I swear to high heaven I will castrate y-'' Meg Was huffing as she rose into sitting position, her head turning to glare at who she thought had entered despite her threats. Meg's glare faded to shame immediately when she saw him ''Sorry.'' she apologised, looking back down to the locket. 

''I'm sorry.'' Cullen countered, continuing when he saw her face scrunch. ''If I had known it would affect you like so, I would have suggested they break it to you more gently.'' 

''You couldn't have known.'' She dismissed his apology, not mad with him nor anyone really. ''I just needed to be alone and then when I sat down, I couldn't get back up.'' Cullen kneeled by her side when she patted the space beside her. ''I was adopted not long after I turned seven.'' She revealed, not looking up from the locket still.

Cullen stayed silent, offering an ear if she needed to talk like he assumed she did. ''I shared a room with five other girls, each one hoping to leave with a family and not as an adult. Each and every one of us wondering why our parents weren't with us, why they had left or given us up and it didn't stop when I was finally adopted.'' 

''No, I don't think something like would ever go away.'' 

''I never thought I would get the chance to meet them. I tried to find anyone who may have had any degree of relation to me but I always...always came up short. I remember thinking 'why, Why can't I find them' or 'Why didn't they want me'. I couldn't remember anything from before that warehouse. I was just too young, I suppose.'' 

Cullen lifted his hand and held out the Letter ''Josephine reached out to the Ravenswood house, told them of you. That's their letter to you, everything they want to say.'' 

''I don't think I'm ready to meet them.'' 

''You don't have to. I'm sure they understand.'' Meg glanced at Cullen before looking at the paper, unfolding it and reading the words her real parents had written. Cullen smiled and went to stand until her hand shot out, keeping him seated where he was; she didn't say anything but she conveyed well enough that she wanted him to stay. 

He waited patiently for her to finish reading and when she did, she silently folded the paper and slipped it under her pillow. Meg bit her lip, finding herself quite emotional in the presence of the attractive Commander, shuffling closer to lean against him.

She felt his breath catch before he forced himself to relax. ''They said it at the end.'' she mumbled, looking down at her hands. '' 'You don't have to see us if you're not ready' You were right, they understand.''

''See? Not all bad.'' 

Meg hummed, content in his presence. '' I need a hug.'' It was a silent question and Cullen silently answered by drawing her into a hug. He may not be very good with women but if she needed comfort then by Andraste, she was going to get it. ''I must have seemed strange, singing randomly. It was what came to mind when I thought about it. Poor orphan praying for a family.'' 

Cullen didn't answer, his only indication that he heard was the slight squeeze he gave to comfort her more. 

She returned to normal later that day, and Askan was thankful to Cullen for it. As were most of the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still, don't know how to put up pictures. Also, this is late because....Spyro. I m a 23-year-old woman....and i am playing Spyro.


	5. Chapter Five - First Of Many

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.”   
> ― Mark Twain
> 
> The one where she goes along.

''You ready?'' Askan stood by the gates of Haven a few horses ready and saddled for him to leave. He looked at Meg, who was geared up to finally leave Haven. She nodded firmly, feeling brave as she adjusted the bow on her back. 

Left foot in the left stirrup and up she went -wobbling slightly, sitting on the back on the dark brown coloured horse Askan had saddled for her. It had taken Cassandra a considerable amount of time to get Meg to even sit on a horse, let alone move the animal whilst upon; so the warrior looked quite pleased with herself. 

Cullen, Josephine and Leliana stood nearby, only he was watching with worried eyes as Askan decided to take Meg to Therinfal redoubt. Though Askan was also taking Cassandra, Solas, and Iron bull, it didn't negate the fact that Meg wasn't all that skilled and if something were to go wrong..in a Templar controlled area. Cullen didn't want to imagine. 

At least she had made quite good friends with Iron Bull and would most likely have him to protect her in case anything were to go wrong. 

He hoped she would be okay, watching as she rode off, giving him a little wave before she just about slammed her hand back to the horse to brace herself, most likely still feeling a little nervous on the animal. Meg followed Askan and the others to where they needed to go, having no clue where in the hell she was going. 

When they were close to arriving, Askan briefly spoke to a man who called himself, Lord Esmeral Abernache. Meg didn't bother with anything other than her initial introduction to him and when arriving at Therinfal Redoubt, she found he wasn't the only one dressed so strangely and wearing a mask. 

''This is the normal attire for those in Orlais.'' 

''So...Its a party every day in Orlais.'' Iron Bull laughed at the reply Meg gave, He had yet to get this woman completely drunk, but he was still sure she'd be hilarious. Meg continued to ignore whatever mumbling's she could hear from other people, choosing instead to surroundings; as Cullen had taught her to do, he had taught her a great deal that man.

She almost went straight into the Back of Askan if it wasn't for Sola pulling on the back of her coat to get her to stop walking. ''...Cullen. He said the Inquisition works to seal this breach in the veil. ''

She'd come back to the world hearing Cullen's name. Though didn't really understand much of what was being said, it was taking a while for all the information she was learning to sink in and she tried to remember some of it during a flag ritual the Lord seeker had requested Askan complete before meeting with him. 

It was a small room that they were supposed to meet the Lord Seeker in and Meg didn't like the look of it, even less so when the door shut behind them. She heard a thumping noise when the knight captain arrived instead of the Lord seeker, moving away from Bull and towards the door as she gently tried to open it. 

Sounds of fighting and dying then started to happen from the other side. ''You are all supposed to be changed! Now we must purge the questioning knights!'' 

''Askan!'' The Herald turned to Meg at her call, seeing her by the door, bow at the ready ''It's a trap! The doors bloody barred from the other side!'' 

Meg stayed by the door as the Templars killed anyone not from the Inquisition or Ser Barris, she froze by the door, willing her legs to move and yet they wouldn't. Still, as a Templar approached her while the others fought, Meg couldn't will herself to kill someone; she hadn't assumed it would be easy, but she hadn't known it would take all her strength to even think about raising her bow. 

The Templar in front got too close for comfort when he burst into bolts of lightning, jolting for a moment before falling to the ground. Solas, her saviour, had come up to grip her arm tightly to draw her attention from the dead man at her feet. 

''You can not rely on us to protect you! If we become indisposed, or if we fall, you must be able to make it without us!'' she looked up at Solas with teary eyes, hating that the situation had gone south so fast. She wasn't ready for this, but she suddenly had to be; she wondered if she could even do it or if she should hide like a scared lamb instead. 

Gripping her bow in one hand and an arrow she had tried to fire earlier until her knuckles were white and she had to decide, the glinting helm that snuck up on him as he focused on her instead of the battle, the glint of the blade ready to strike. 

Cassandra, Bull and Askan were busy with the other enemies, no one else would help. 

Solas gasped out in surprised when Meg lurched towards him, legs curling around his waist as her arms when around his neck, Right fist with an arrow in it swung around and he felt it stop before it came the full turn. 

He could feel her shaking, left hand on the back of his neck quivering with either shock, fear or both. Meg let go of him and stood back to her feet, apologising as she did and he had to swivel around to see the Templar behind him, an arrow sticking out of his neck in the unprotected section of his helm and shoulder guards. Meg's first Kill of Many to come. 

''Kill or be Killed.'' She mumbled to herself, raising her bow and knocking an arrow to help Bull with the three enemies he had surrounding him. She was still shaking, but Solas was glad he at least got her to move. 

She fell to her knees when the fight was over, her legs felt too weak to hold her up as it finally set in. She had killed at least four people, how many of them had families, or lovers, someone who loved them and expected them to come home. 

''Meg.'' Askan's voice was soft. ''I know it's hard but you did well. Now you need to keep it up, we've got to go through more.'' 

He didn't say it got easier, and it didn't really, not when she followed him through the rest of the Redoubt. Demons were easier, that much was seen, she could dispatch demons who had no ties but actual real people who had been following orders, wrong orders, but still orders. 

The red doors of the large fort came into sight, The voice of the Lord seeker seemed to be taunting Askan and all Meg could feel was the tightening of her stomach. ''Something doesn't feel right, Askan.'' Meg said as they walked towards the stone staircase to the red door. ''The air feels....thick with something. 

The lord seeker was revealed to not be the Lord seeker when they reached the Great hall, Though Askan did look a little more tired than before he kicked the thing through the doors. An Envy demon, through it looked like something out of a Stephen King novel. 

Ser Barris asked them to help hold the great hall, and then to keep the enemies off the people dispelling the barrier that kept them from confronting the envy demon. Meg hadn't been much help really, for her first real big fight, she'd rather just have stayed with Cullen, Leliana and Josephine at Haven. 

Someone knew was there, Meg noticed, he was wearing a large hat so she barely had time to see his face during the fight but she noticed him there. Even standing nearby when the demon was defeated and Ser Barris had joined the Inquisition as free allies. 

'You don't have to worry, You belong.' A voice spoke to her as she looked over at the strange person before he left. Though it seemed to her, that no one else heard the words. 

In any case, she was glad it was time to head back to Haven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you to the person who told me how to add Pictures. I will get around to doing that when I have more time and I was late in seeing it as I have no phone and my tablet does not notify me when my emails come in. 
> 
> This chapter isn't long. Apologies. I think the next one is longer...or is it the one after? I'm not sure. The days leading up to christmas this month have just dragged. It feels like one endless monday morning where you contemplate getting out of bed or just staying and letting the warm blankets consume your very soul.... =D   
> Hopefully they will get better too. 
> 
> Thank you again for the ability to put up pictures.   
> =)


	6. Chapter Six - War.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.”  
> ― Herbert Hoover
> 
> The one where it starts.

The ride back to Haven would have been uneventful if it wasn't for certain happenings. Like...Rain, or the need to sleep or even the call of help as the man ran towards them, Two bears at the heels. 

Meg's eyes widened as they all dismounted the horses, engaging the bear and after defeating it, turned to face the man they'd saved, Meg, stayed turned away. ''Thank you! Thank you so much! I'd been travelling with a convoy, no idea where I am where these bears came out of nowhere!''

''It's no trouble Did anyone else survive.'' Askan had asked as Meg mounted her horse, stealing some cloth from Solas' bag and using it as a veil to hide her face. 

''No, Just me.''

''He's got the same strange accent as you, huh Little Angel?'' Bull's voice was directed towards her, giving his own spin to Varric's nickname. All eyes turned to her as much as she could see through the cloth and she hummed, not wanting to speak; they were close enough to the frostbacks, she half wondered if she could ride on and find Haven herself; perhaps hide in Cullen's fur collar on his bearskin cloak for all of eternity. 

''Hang on..'' The man spoke, squinting his eyes on her neck, where her necklace was in full view and she knew she'd been realised; quickly dropping her hands to her reigns, Meg spurred the horse to a run despite the almost crippling fear of being thrown off the animal. ''MEG!'' 

Megaera ignored the shout and the others after it that came from her companions and chose to keep going. She had made a choice and her choice was to avoid him at all costs. Riding on in the direction she hoped was Haven, she remembers vaguely but not enough to be sure.

When she found finally found Haven by some dumb luck and rode up, catching the attention of Cullen who was training the recruits as always. He was startled by the sight of a horse galloping at full speed, skidding its hooves in the snow as she willed it to slow and slipping off before the animal came to a full stop.

''Makers breath, Meg!'' He spoke as he watched her legs almost buckle at her failed attempt to land after slipping off the horse that stood at seventeen hands high. ''What happened? Where's the Herald?'' 

''Hide me!'' She begged, surging forward and gripping his cloak. ''Please, they're coming, I promise, just hide me!'' 

'' I'm confused, why do you want me to-'' 

''Jesus fucking christ, Cullen! Just hide me and don't tell them where I am!'' He saw the look in her eyes, frantic, afraid and not ready to confront whatever had happened. He recognised the look, nodding slowly and gesturing to a nearby tent which she had promptly dived into the moment more horses were seen arriving. 

''Herald.'' Cullen greeted when Askan and company arrived, as though he hadn't just been manhandled by the small woman who begged to be hidden from sight. 

''Cullen, where is Meg? Did you see which way she went?'' 

He didn't want to lie, much less to the Herald but he had told her he wouldn't say, so he gestured to the gates. ''She ran off rather quickly, Im afraid I saw nothing more than her running through the gates.'' Askan narrowed his eyes, Cassandra, Solas and Bull walking onward as though nothing were happening but Cullen noticed the new person. 

''This is Arthur.'' Askan introduced. ''Meg's ...Boyfriend...'' 

''Does she have like, a place here or?'' Cullen's initial thoughts of Arthur weren't anything special, the man was the same height, same body image but he didn't carry himself anything like someone who cared for her. Cullen's first thought was that he should hide her from this man forever. 

It may have just been his heart deciding that though. 

''In any case.'' Askan interrupted before Arthur had the chance to ask his question again. ''I'll need to speak to Meg soon. She did well Cullen, all that training really paid off though I think she'll need someone to talk to. I'll need you in the War room as soon as possible, Commander'' 

''Of course, Herald.'' Cullen replied, watching as Askan assured Arthur that he would see Meg soon and the moment they were gone for sight, he called out to her. ''He's gone.'' 

She hit her head on his cuirass running from the tent to envelop him into a hug, but she didn't show any pain upon colliding with it. ''I owe you literally anything you want. Thank you.'' She sounded relieved, grateful in ways he'd never had anyone express before; not so sincerely. 

''Boyfriend?'' 

''Ah, Lover...Ex rather. He pushed me and my best friend to our deaths and we took him with us. Never expected to end up here...wish he hadn't.'' she answered, drawing back from the hug.

''If he bothers you, You know where I am.'' 

He watched Meg's eyebrows raise, surprised at his offer before she smiled and leaned closer and placed a hand gently on his cuirass, giving it a gentle pat. ''Why Commander, I don't think my heart can take much more chivalry. Wearing all that shiny armour, all you need now is a white steed and I think I'll be taken.''

Cullen coughed and spluttered, unable to reply to something so flirty. Instead, he made the excuse that The Herald needed him in the war room and took his leave with a gentle bow of his head. ''Maker's breath.'' she'd caught the whisper.

He could hear her giggling as she followed behind him, ducking into the tavern where she knew Bull would be. Of course, the Qunari demanded to know why she had run off so quickly and she was happy to tell, it only ended in him buying her a drink and promising to protect her. 

''Stick with me and he won't come near you.'' 

''Now that, I'm certain of.''

It was hard to avoid Arthur for the majority of the next few days. The Templars arrived and that kept her busy whilst she helped Askan and the advisors tend to them and their lodgings at Haven. 

He had kept himself busy by annoying Cassandra, Sera...practically all the women had Haven had something to say about Arthur. Most weren't nice, some were...not many. Meg was either with Askan or Bull and if she wasn't with them, then she was with Cullen. 

Despite the almost constant heat he felt with every other word she uttered with a flirty tone, Cullen enjoyed her company. She was the breath of fresh air from the war that lingered over their heads and he would be damned if he were to let that walk away to doom himself to more less than savoury thoughts that she kept away. 

Meg loved to watch him blush, to stutter over his words as much as she enjoyed watching him in his own element. Arthur's presence wasn't going to deter her from hooking her claws into the handsome commander and reeling him in like a moth to a flame. 

She knew Arthur had tried to catch her alone, knew it was only matter of time before he found her and that was why she had hitched along to watch the closing of the breach if only to buy herself more time without having to talk to him.

Iron bull was great in helping after the breach was closed as Cullen was busy with the troops, she sat on Bull's huge shoulder. She could see Arthur from the new height, staring in her direction as if willing Bull to put her down and walk away and she chuckled, knowing if she had seen him, then Bull most definitely had. 

All Meg really cared about was the excellent view of Cullen as he rushed about, fiddling with the fabric of the long grey dress she wore, Complete with an overcoat that was just as long to provide an extra fight against the cold.

She did love the seamstress and her skills.

The celebration was lively, people were dancing and drinking and all was well, everyone was happy, there wasn't a green hole in the sky and she hadn't been sucked through it back to miserable old London like she thought she would have. As much as she missed her friends, her mother and music, she wouldn't dare walk back through a rift to leave what connection she had built in Thedas. 

She was happy. 

Until the bells tolled.

Bull looked up at Meg as she stopped drinking to look out towards the gates, dropping off his shoulder and running to the gates with him at her side. 

''Forces approaching! To arms!'' She heard Cullen call, Bulls hand on her shoulder in silent tell that he would get the weapons before he left her. She stood by Cullen as he barked orders, while Cassandra and Askan ran up to see why the bells were tolling. 

''Cullen?'' 

''One WatchGuard reporting. It's a massive force. The bulk over the mountain.'' 

''Under what Banner?'' Josephine asked. 

''none.'' 

Josephine was surprised by the answer, Askan and Meg focused on the gates where flashes of light could be seen, when they stopped, a male voice called out for them to open it. The gates opened and he was kneeled, tired after his fight. A dark-skinned man, black moustache, long staff in his hand. 

''I'm here to warn you. Fashionably late I'm afraid.'' Cullen helped him stand when he almost fell. ''Mite exhausted, don't mind me.'' 

''My name is Dorian Pavus and I bring grave news from Redcliffe - an army of rebel mages, right behind me. They are under the command of the venatori, under service to something called 'The Elder One'. The woman is Calpernia. She commands the venatori for that...The Elder One.'' 

Dorian spoke that he risked his life to get there first and Meg huffed in amusement. ''Fat load of good that does you if we can't hold this place. We'll need a plan, so I bloody well hope you've got one, love.''

Meg glanced at Cullen, the endearing name slipping out as smoothly as any other word and he almost wanted to comment on it...if they weren't on the verge of attack. ''Haven is no fortress. If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle. Get out there and hit that force Use everything you can.'' 

Cullen turned to address the soldiers.''Oh well he's nice, Isn't he?'' The voice of Dorian said behind her, though she assumed it supposed to be only heard by him; she had to comment. 

''Oh yes.'' she agreed with a grin. ''what I wouldn't give, Dorian Pavus, What I wouldn't give.'' Iron Bull returned with her weapon, handing her a bow and quiver. Meg nodded thanks to Bull and turned to Askan, calling on everything she had learned from Cassandra and Cullen. ''Askan. I say you trust me and go defend the North Trebuchet. Me, Bull, Blackwall and new addition Dorian here will take the south. It hasn't yet fired as the others have.'' 

Askan was surprised at Meg's calm thinking, remembering what she was like at Therinfall but if she was going to get better, he couldn't coddle her. She'd been learning much and it was time to put her to another test. ''Very well, Just be careful. Fall back if needed and I'll join you as soon as I'm done.'' 

Meg grabbed Blackwall on the way, statistically speaking, she had two close combats and two ranged which should give the best possible outcomes, Dorian even expressed that he knew some healing Magic, not much but some.

Mages were helpful when on her side.

There was no one manning the trebuchet, so while Bull and Blackwall took the attention, Dorian worked on keeping any stragglers away and Meg turned the wheel on the trebuchet, feeling much like a pirate at the helm of a boat. 

Three waves of Venatori and Mages later and finally, Her trebuchet fired into the mountains, causing a slight snow avalanche that wiped out a substantial amount of enemies. She hoped Askan and Cullen would be proud. 

''Fall back!'' Meg yelled to the companions as they smiled at each other. Seeing the huge winged reptile flying towards them, a fireball destroying the trebuchet. ''To the gates, Go!'' Askan was already running through when they arrived, and once she was through, she turned and helped Cullen close the gates. 

''We need everyone back to the chantry! It's the only building that might hold against that beast! At this point...just make them work for it.'' 

''We need a new plan! Cullen!'' Meg chased after him as Askan stayed to help civilians. ''We can't just use ammo until we've got none left!''

''If you've got a plan to fight against that, I'd love to hear it!'' He replied, barely stopping to look at her as he retreated to the Chantry. Meg cursed lowly turning her sights to her tent and gathering what she felt important; Items that really were not all that important to anyone but her. 

She knew it was silly but she wasn't going to leave them behind, so with a bag over her shoulder, she made her way into the chantry. The chantry was the safe Haven for however long, Dorian sat by Chancellor Roderick, who had been injured trying to help.

''Yes! Dorian, you sexy man.'' Dorian thanked Meg smugly as she cried out when he spoke of the landslide. ''The last few trebuchets still work! Our last Fuck you to Calpernia and that ancient asshole!'' 

Cullen blinked, startled by the sight of her hand flying up, middle finger showing before it curled into the fist with the rest of the fingers. ''We turn them to the mountains,'' he said, feeling a little amazed that she beat him to the punchline. 

''We're overrun, to hit the enemy, we'd bury Haven.'' Askan argued.

''This is non-survivable now. The only choice we have left is how spitefully we end this.'' Meg watched Cullen and Dorian argue a little on the last resort to hit back against the horde, only stopping when Chancellor Roderick explained that there was a way out of Haven. 

Cullen made preparations, calling soldiers and Dorian helped Roderick to his feet. Meg shifted on her feet, the dress was heavy, the hem soaked with snow and stained a little all over with blood. 

She heard Arthur call her from somewhere towards the back of the building but she ignored it as Cullen returned with his soldiers running towards the doors and her attention was easily stolen from Arthur, who had indeed noticed. 

''They'll load the Trebuchets. Keep the elder ones attention until we're above the tree line. If we are to have a chance, If you are to have a chance- let that thing hear you.''

''Take this.'' Meg turned to Cullen, passing him the bag in her hands. He took it, confused ''Please don't lose it. I know its silly to want to keep them but....humour me?'' 

Meg then steeled herself, moving forward to follow Askan. ''Megaera! I think not, Come with us.'' Cullen grabbed her arm before she could get out of his reach, his worry written all over his face. She'd crawled her way into his heart and she could see it, she only hated to have to leave and fight. 

''Oh no, dear Commander!'' Meg turned to give him a grin. ''What better way to use what you taught me.'' He opened his mouth to argue again and Askan had already run ahead, Meg interrupted what would have been Cullen's expression of worry over her. ''I know. And I promise - I promise, I will come back alive.'' 

''You had better.''

''Would you like a goodbye kiss?'' She teased, watching him roll his eyes and stammer his objections. It gave her time to slip from his grasp and run after Askan. Turning the Trebuchets to the mountains was hard enough with a Dragon flying about, joining Askan at his Trebuchet to see him confronting 'The Elder One' 

The Trebuchet had been set to the mountain and only needed to be fired, Meg proved a good distraction, firing an arrow towards the Red Lyrium covered enemy and allowing Askan time to fire the Trebuchet. 

The dragon took the elder one and flew off as the Avalanche was quickly approaching. Askan and Meg met halfway, only just grabbing each other's hands before the snow hit and both of them were thrown by the sheer force.

They landed hard and exhausted, both losing consciousness as they hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven't updated in awhile. Whoops. Sorry. I sort of, perhaps, a little bit...forgot. 
> 
> Fun fact - I have played Dragon Age inquisition a number of times that amounts to 8...and have never once completed it. 
> 
> I kept replaying it to a point and then forgetting and then replaying from the beginnin. And Then I got the first two Dragon ages and had to play them. So of course i had to replay Inqusition when I figured out that Alistair would be in it. Then I had to replay it twice over because Alistair didn't say what i wanted him to say when I got to Crestwood.....
> 
> So again naturally.  
> Its still sitting on my xbox. waiting for me to continuing playing. 
> 
> Cullen is still sitting in love choice purgatory cause its just perpetually never going past the steamy desk cutscene. 
> 
> Lol! 
> 
> I also wish TheRadBrad would play it so I can watch it. XD


	7. Chapter Seven - Bravery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”   
> ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
> 
> The One Where She Is Brave.

''Meg! Meg, Wake up!'' She was being shaken, violently, but large hands as Askan's voice became less blurry. ''Come on, wake up''

She groaned as she sat up, rubbing her head with her hands and trying to ignore the pain in her back. Askan helped her to her feet, though on shaky ones himself. ''Where are we?'' 

''somewhere under Haven. Come on, we can't stay here.'' Meg picked up her bow, thankful but confused on how it hadn't snapped on the fall down and followed Askan through what looked like a mine shaft. The only enemies they came across where Shades and Askan quickly dispatched them with the mark on his hand, an ability she had never seen him use before. 

The Frostback mountains were so cold, covered in snow and it didn't help that she never had time to change clothes, the wind bit at her skin, unable to move quickly now that she had to help Askan as he seemed to be falling back a little. Trudging through the snow was hard, with little to no way of knowing which way the others had gone if there weren't little tells here and there.

An abandoned carriage. Some debris. A campfire. ''It's cold. But they were here.'' Meg and Askan had gone from holding each other's hands to bunched up as close as possible and fighting through the knee-high layers of snow. 

Another campfire was found what felt like hours later, both of them weary and hoping it was at least a little warm. Meg dropped to her knees, placing her hands gently on it. ''Warm. I can see embers. It has to be recent. '' 

''We'll go that way. '' Askan said, shivering and rubbing his arms, looking towards the clearing between two cliffs. ''Maker, I hope we're close.'' Meg stood, returning to her friends' side and wrapping an arm around his waist, his arm draping over her shoulder. 

''There! It's them!'' 

Askan fell to his knees at the voice, taking Meg with him. ''Thank the maker!'' Cassandra's voice echoed as hands touched her shoulders. She looked up into Cullen's eyes with a tired, grateful smile, two Inquisition shoulders helped hoist Askan to his feet, carrying him most of the way. The bow from her back was removed by a soldier, as Askan's weapons were taken as well to lighten to load. 

Meg tried to stand but the moment she started to move, Cullen had already slipped his arm under her knees, Lifting her feet from the ground in one large swoop. The cry of surprise couldn't be helped but any complaints died in her throat when she fell heat surround her. ''F-fucking Christ on a-a cracker, You're so warm.'' She whined, trying to get closer. 

The people of Haven were camped further below, Varric and Iron bull were the only ones to voice that they were glad she was okay, everyone else gave Meg a smile; well, almost everyone else. Vivienne, recent addition from Orlais, barely blinked. 

''Oh my god, Meg!'' Arthur's voice sounded worried and she saw him running up, Arms outstretched and under her, ready to snatch her from Cullen. Both men were surprised when she held tight to the commander's cloak burying her face in the fur to avoid Arthur's stare. ''Meg, Love, don't be silly, come here.'' 

This time it was Cullen himself who moved away, preventing Arthur from taking her when she obviously didn't want him to. ''I believe Lady Ravenswood would prefer if you didn't.'' Cullen walked away before Arthur could question more, sitting Meg down on one of the Medical cots put up when they made camp. 

''Thank you. I- I'm not really in the state to be dealing with that.'' She said to Cullen, bringing her knees to her chest, trying to conserve some warmth that had left her when he moved away. 

''You will have to confront him soon enough.'' Always the voice of reason, she knew he was right, watching him fetch her a blanket and place it on her shoulders. ''As fun as it was to see you outsmart him, you can not do it forever.'' 

''I know. Just not til later.'' Cullen nodded, giving her a smile as he backed away from the tent. 

Though she was tired, she was unable to even try and close her eyes for more than a few minutes. Lying down was giving her an uneasy feeling so she stayed sitting up, Iron Bull sitting at the foot of the tent nearby so Arthur didn't walk in before she was ready. 

Knees returned to being pulled up to her chest, Meg simply watched Cullen argue with Josephine and Leliana. Their arguing stopped and a moment later, Mother Giselle started to sing, it raised hopes and even more so when others started to join in. 

It was a nice song. Meg assumed it was called 'The dawn will come' considering they said it enough times. The dawn will come, but before it arrives, Meg had another problem to deal with. She had avoided him enough and recovered long enough that she finally had some heat coming off her. 

''Can I start by saying, I'm sorry?'' 

''You're sorry?'' She repeated, pure amusement running through her and she couldn't help but give a chuckle. ''You can but I don't accept it and I won't ever.'' Meg replied to Arthur, who was standing more than arm's length away from her. Though they weren't high above ground level, she still didn't trust him. 

''Well why not?'' He wondered, blinded by whatever his mind was saying wasn't his fault. ''I didn't mean it! I was just so mad! I-I wanted to help look for you! I still love you, you know!'' From his seat, Bull raised an eyebrow. 

''You love me? are you serious?'' Meg repeated, huffing in disbelief and when he didn't give an answer to the question, Meg cackled loudly. ''Love!?'' She repeated, all eyes falling on the two. ''You pushed me from a balcony, and you pushed Tristan! Who I haven't seen as alive and well as you are and I should scalp you for that!'' 

''I didn't mean to! It just happened! You made me mad! I wanted you back!'' Arthur took a step forward and Meg took one back, returning the desired distance away from him. Meg laughed again but it void of all feeling, she held nothing for this man; as she hadn't done for some time. 

''You're as thick as shit! How many times do I have to reject you!?'' Meg's hands were flying wildly, as women hands do when they're mad. ''If I didn't want you in London -before you pushed me! - Why would I want you in Thedas after you pushed me from a height that would have cracked open my skull! If that rift hadn't opened up when it did, where it did! I'd be painting the pavement red!'' 

''Oh and I bet you've no problem with Red now, Huh?'' Arthur was mad, It didn't take much for him to go from pleading to livid and the thing with Manipulative people was that they would use anything they could against you. ''Red, Shiny metal and blonde hair!'' 

''Cullen has nothing to do with this!'' Eyebrows from various people in camp shot up, surprised that Arthur had brought it up. ''Don't do that! Don't turn it around as if I did something wrong! As if I was cheating you?! WE. ARE. NOT. TOGETHER. You don't own me!'' 

''You listen to me, you little -'' Arthur moved forward quickly, hands raised and she knew he would get violent if he wasn't stopped. Iron Bull had stood up, Cullen was close by, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to defend, Cassandra was the same, Varric was resting Bianca on his lap.

''Enough!'' She screamed, silencing Arthur. She had never screamed at him, never demanded him to shut up and he felt as though he were looking at a completely different woman. She stormed towards him with fury in her eyes and a challenge on her lips. 

''She wants him to try. Wants to see if he's as brave as he thinks he is. Axe will fall, blades drawn, arrows fly. She knows she's safe now. Not afraid, never again afraid.'' Cole hadn't been around Meg much, she had seen him, heard who he was from Askan but had never actually spoken to the boy before.

''I fucking dare you to touch me again,'' Meg whispered lowly in Arthur's face. ''I've been here for months, and you bet your ass that you will not live to see tomorrow if you so much as lay a fucking finger on me. '' Meg was grinning, smugness in her words as she took in the reality of the situation. 

''Thedas is not London, It is not Illegal to kill you. I would not lose a minute of sleep over it so please, touch me.'' Meg's arms opened, an invitation for him to challenge her truth. Arthur glanced around, Iron Bull was still ready to swing, The dwarf he hadn't bothered to learn the name of was staring him down and patting the side of the crossbow in his hands. 

The warrior woman he once called Cassie only to then immediately regret it had her sword drawn and the commander...

Arthur swallowed thickly. When had the Commander grown closer? right hand crossed his body to rest on the hilt of his still sheathed sword, somehow more intimidating that Cassandra's drawn one. 

Looking back at Meg, her arms dropped as Arthur backed away her and her challenge and somehow, her grin grew wider. ''Yeah, I didn't fucking think so.'' Dropping her arms, she turned and walked away towards the one man he hated most. 

Meg slipped an arm around Cullens and pulled him into a nearby tent, flaps closing and hiding them from view.

Where her legs promptly gave out. 

''Makers breath!'' Cullen caught her before she hit the ground, her hands clutched together at her chest as the grin dropped. ''Meg...''

''That was the single most terrifying thing I have ever done.'' Cullen almost had to disagree but the look in her eyes told him that he shouldn't at that precise moment. ''I'm so tired. I just wanted to leave him, why can't I just be free of him already.'' 

''You have my word that he will not hurt you.'' Cullen tried to reassure her. To calm enough that she may just be able to fall asleep if she knew she was safe. ''No one in the Inquisition will let him harm you.''

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo...I actually finished the main game the other day. 
> 
> Which is weird because I never knew it was so close to the point where I always ended up restarting the game. And then I was mad!
> 
> I WAS SO MAD.
> 
> Like, I took on Vivienne as a companion sure...BUT I NEVER SPOKE TO THE COW. Purely so that she wouldn't become divine. 
> 
> Oh my lord I am so mad. 
> 
> Purposely ignoring her existence so that Leliana would become divine and then out of NOWHERE, I get bloody decked in the face with Vivienne's divine ending card during Morrigan's explanation. 
> 
> And I wanna restart the game. I wanna replay it so badly so I can just ignore Madame de Fer's meeting and induction into the inquisition because Dammit if I ain't Biased towards Leliana. 
> 
> I just really don't understand why She got to sit her damn backside on the sunburst throne when I tried so hard for Leliana to get it.
> 
> I'm seething. 
> 
> But hey, Here's a chapter.


End file.
